*Official* Fifth Test at the SCG

[HeathDavisSpeed]

Would like to see David Hussey given a chance.

 

[Furball]

Month long avatar bet, England will win the series outright.

 

[Burgey]

Not sure what to make of the report that Ponting will be, ahem, "rested" for the SCG test.

He said he had an x ray on it again this morning, and it was always the plan to have that done and assess him after the MCG.

 

[Son Of Coco]

Month long avatar bet, England will win the series outright.

I think the odds are heavily stacked in your favour there!

 

[robelinda]

Ferguson is not even close to a spot. Just hasnt got the form this season in FC cricket, or actually EVER in FC cricket. Marsh and Khawaja in front you'd think.

 

[iamdavid]

Yes , liked the look of Cameron, I think if he 'd have been picked for this Ashes, he'd have been a real handful on some of these pitches. Haven't seen much of Copeland ,he hasn't played many first class games , but has a good record.

Don't think they can afford Johnson and Cameron in the same attack (assuming they're playing 3 seamers). Cameron always tends to go for a few because he bowls an aggressive length and his control isn't top notch, so if Johnson has one of his bad days (which is about an 80% likelyhood on any given day) then they'll leak runs like there's no tomorrow.

 

[Furball]

Ferguson is not even close to a spot. Just hasnt got the form this season in FC cricket, or actually EVER in FC cricket. Marsh and Khawaja in front you'd think.

Warne made an interesting point on commentary that he felt that more of Australia's fringe players should be building up their FC experience by playing County Cricket, as there's only 10 Shield games a season max to play in.

 

[Ruckus]

Don't think they can afford Johnson and Cameron in the same attack (assuming they're playing 3 seamers). Cameron always tends to go for a few because he bowls an aggressive length and his control isn't top notch, so if Johnson has one of his bad days (which is about an 80% likelyhood on any given day) then they'll leak runs like there's no tomorrow.

Copeland and Johnson would be better imo. Copeland looks like a very economical bowler - his records in that regard so far are superior to Stuart Clark.

 

[robelinda]

Warne made an interesting point on commentary that he felt that more of Australia's fringe players should be building up their FC experience by playing County Cricket, as there's only 10 Shield games a season max to play in.

Arent the county laws different now? I thought aussies werent allowed to play CC unless they were already playing for Australia, or something like that.

 

[Kylez]

Ferguson is not even close to a spot. Just hasnt got the form this season in FC cricket, or actually EVER in FC cricket. Marsh and Khawaja in front you'd think.

Ferguson's last few FC seasons have been pretty solid actually. Is having a pretty good FC season with the bat at the moment to .

 

[Furball]

Arent the county laws different now? I thought aussies werent allowed to play CC unless they were already playing for Australia, or something like that.

Think it's the Kolpak rules that have been tightened so that counties can't just fill their sides with random South Africans - if the rules were that tight then Mark Cosgrove, David Hussey and Chris Rodgers wouldn't be playing County Cricket year in year out.

 

[robelinda]

Ferguson's last few FC seasons have been pretty solid actually. Is having a pretty good FC season with the bat at the moment to .

Not really, its been solid but not knocking down the door.

 

[Kylez]

Not really, its been solid but not knocking down the door.

In the limited games Ferguson has played this year, he has been impressive compared to most other candidates.

 

[marc71178]

Think it's the Kolpak rules that have been tightened so that counties can't just fill their sides with random South Africans - if the rules were that tight then Mark Cosgrove, David Hussey and Chris Rodgers wouldn't be playing County Cricket year in year out.

I think it has been tightened a bit but the question is how many of the Australians would a county genuinely want to sign.

Got to consider how long someone will be available for with other commitments and whether they will be worth picking comparing value for money with other overseas players.

I'm trying to think how many of the current side have played county cricket recently, not many is it?

 

[Pothas]

Nah Hughes played a few games for us last season (and of course Middlesex last year) and I think a couple (certainly Smith) popped up in the twenty20 apart from that don't think any of them have in the last couple of years. Certainly makes a change from a few years ago when Hampshire alone had spells from Watson, Katich and Clarke.

 

[Oscillatingmind]

Ferguson is not even close to a spot. Just hasnt got the form this season in FC cricket, or actually EVER in FC cricket. Marsh and Khawaja in front you'd think.

Marsh is just Ferguson 2.0, this current season, I'd rather none of them get a spot at this current time. There only considered because of their age being that 25-30 range. If we need to pick a batsman with experience and around that age I'd go with White, or even Cosgrove ahead of those Marsh. Khawaja deserves a run but.

 

[Spark]

IMO the pecking order should have Khawaja the clear leader with Dussey and White just behind in the short term.

 

[robelinda]

I really like Cosgroves batting. Stoked that he's found form with Tassie. I do like Ferguson, but he comes across as a softish player, I want to see him really dominate a FC season and show his class.

 

[Craig]

Only Shaun Marsh's biggest fan would pick Marsh for Australia.

 

[MattO]

I really like Cosgroves batting. Stoked that he's found form with Tassie. I do like Ferguson, but he comes across as a softish player, I want to see him really dominate a FC season and show his class.

Australia has to get away from the Gen-Y type of players and that includes Ferguson. His record for SA indicates sweet FA at first class level.

I make 5-6 changes for Sydney. I bring in Cowan, Klinger, Usman and White for Hughes, Ponting, Clarke and Smith and Hauritz or O'Keefe for Harris.